This invention relates in general to automobile servicing equipment and in particular to a new and useful device for dispensing an abrasive material onto a roadway in the vicinity of the wheels of a vehicle.
The invention relates to a device for motor vehicles for dispensing sand under the effect of gravity, comprising at least one refillable sand container, a sand channel whose end associated with a wheel of the motor vehicle forms a sand outlet, and comprising two closing means interrupting the sand flow, the first of said means being associated with the outlet of the sand container and the second one forming the sealing of the sand outlet, and their actuation being dependent upon each other.
A sand-dispensing device of this kind can, for example, be found in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,524. In this case, an intermediate container is inserted in the sand channel, and the two closing means alternately open and close the inlet and the outlet of the intermediate container which forms the sand outlet. The two closing means are to this end arranged at a common support which is slideable in the intermediate container and whose motion is effected by means of a pressure medium, cable traction or the like. Hence, when the closing means sealing the outlet is in the closed state, sand is located thereon and renders opening of the outlet at least more difficult. At low temperatures, humidity entering from below may cause icing of the sand so that the sand-dispersing device gets out of function. But also closing of the outlet closing means may be disturbed by the sand which flows down during the closing motion because of the simultaneous opening of the inlet closing means.